The Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback next season, and with free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft fast approaching, there are no definitive answers as to who it might be. After Justin Fields and Russell Wilson battled it out in 2024, it was Wilson who won the starting job and led the Steelers into the playoffs.
Both quarterbacks are set to hit free agency in 2025, but some surprising data suggests that one of them should be returning to Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.
Same Old Story in Pittsburgh
Like most seasons, the 2024 NFL season promised a lot for the Steelers. Led by one of the league’s best coaches, Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh roster boasted a top defense and some exciting playmakers on offense. Add to that two new quarterbacks who both had something to prove, and there were reasons to be excited.
An injury to Wilson saw Justin Fields take the reins for the first six games of the season, leading the team to a 4-2 record. But it was Wilson who took over from Week 7, and the Steelers immediately won four straight games, vindicating Tomlin’s decision. Wilson’s deep-ball accuracy complemented their star receiver, George Pickens, and everything looked promising.
Wilson’s final five games as a Steeler, however, were all losses, and some notable turnovers raised doubts over the former Super Bowl winner’s decision-making. After a strong first half to the season, the Steelers finished 10-7 and exited the playoffs in the wildcard round for the fourth time in five years.
Steelers Were Better Off with Fields in 2024
Although Wilson won the starting job over Fields, that doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. According to Sterling Xie’s “One Free Agent Each Team Can’t Afford To Lose” article, it’s Fields that should be back in Pittsburgh come September.
Fields has split opinions since entering the NFL with the Chicago Bears in 2021. His running ability gives opposing defenses an extra problem to deal with, but his throwing accuracy has been inconsistent. Wilson, on the other hand, is a 13-year starter (post-2024 season) with 10 Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl to his name.
For Pittsburgh, though, some surprising data suggests that Fields actually outperformed Wilson in 2024 and would be worth considering for the Steelers’ starting job in 2025 and beyond.
Fields bettered Wilson in drive score percentage, red zone efficiency, and turnover percentage. While a higher percentage of Fields’ drives stalled out, he wound up with a better overall score in PFSN’s QB+ metric for 2024.
With Pittsburgh’s first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft coming at No. 21 overall, the team is out of contention for one of the top quarterback prospects. While they could take one of the quarterbacks slated to go on Day 2, they could do much worse than handing a contract to a young player with NFL experience like Fields.
He may not be the finished product at this point in his career, but his enormous potential makes him worth a shot, and the Steelers should act while they have the chance.